Shotokan stepping side kick versus TKD stepping side kick

[Montana]

Crossing in front is no good.

There are a few good ways to throw a side kick, and that is not one of them.

Agreed...step behind is the way we do it also.

[sensei8]

For anything...In Shindokan we're taught to have our kicking foot cross in front of our supporting leg's foot when executing this kick, as well as bringing both feet together prior to same said kick. I've tried it opposite, but, it feels wrong/strange to me.

more like a heel kick?

Yeah...kinda. The thing to remember is, in Shindokan, we don't kick above the waist...ever. Any above the waist kick I've ever learned was from TKD's GM Young Ik Suh.

[sensei8]

Crossing in front is no good.

There are a few good ways to throw a side kick, and that is not one of them.

Agreed...step behind is the way we do it also.

I concur!!

[Montana]

Yeah...kinda. The thing to remember is, in Shindokan, we don't kick above the waist...ever.

Shorin Ryu also..and I concur with your concur.

[bushido_man96]

For example, I was initially taught to use a stepping side kick in TKD from a horse riding stance. If I were to strike using my left leg, my body would be bladed toward the target with my left leg in front. I would then step with my right leg crossing BEHIND my left leg, chamber my left leg and then thrust at the target. The Shotokan method was essentially the same, except I was instructed to cross IN FRONT OF my kicking leg. This felt awkward and I never really got the knack for it. Consequently, when I sparred in Shotokan, I fell back on my previous training.

When I was in the ATA, we always did the step behind side kick, even in practice. In my current school, we do the kick the way you describe; set up is stepping in front instead of behind. But, we only do it this way in basics, and the reason for it is to really focus on using the hips to drive the kick out. It also forces you to really chamber the kicking leg up before kicking. When stepping behind, it is more possible to "drag" the kicking leg up, so that the kick has more of a line angling upwards from start to finish, as opposed to going straight out.

When I spar and break boards, I do the step behind. It can be good to do both. However, I don't side kick a lot in sparring anyways.

[bushido_man96]

Crossing in front is no good.

There are a few good ways to throw a side kick, and that is not one of them.

Agreed...step behind is the way we do it also.

I do agree with you guys here. I think in general crossing the legs is not very sound tactically. Its a good way to get pushed over I think. Any step done needs to be done quickly, and with as little time spent crossed up as possible.

[yamesu]

In kyokushin i have never been taught to 'step' behind or in front, the Yoko Geri is fired straight from a pivot in Tsuru-Ashi-Dachi (like turning for a roundhouse, but a little further, and then firing the side kick in a straight line to the target).

What about step-up as a set up too?.. Like bringing the insides of the feet together then firing the kick?

[bushido_man96]

In kyokushin i have never been taught to 'step' behind or in front, the Yoko Geri is fired straight from a pivot in Tsuru-Ashi-Dachi (like turning for a roundhouse, but a little further, and then firing the side kick in a straight line to the target).

Just to clarify what you are saying here, do you only do it as a back leg kick, then? It is a powerful kick that way, for sure, but I always find it is just so much slower and more cumbersome to get around to execute. That could just be that I'm slow, too.

[Wastelander]

Interesting enough, I neither step in front nor back during kumite. In a seminar, I had an Isshin Ryu instrutor who taught me to slide. So I've slid ever since. Even nowadays during kihon training, I end up sliding after the step in front.

(Don't ask me where an Isshin Ryu instructor learned to do a sliding side kick.)

I have also been taught the sliding version and a shuffling version, and I do tend to use both of those a lot more often in sparring than the stepping side kick unless I really need to plow through somebody with the kick and want the extra wind up and distance.

[yamesu]

In kyokushin i have never been taught to 'step' behind or in front, the Yoko Geri is fired straight from a pivot in Tsuru-Ashi-Dachi (like turning for a roundhouse, but a little further, and then firing the side kick in a straight line to the target).

Just to clarify what you are saying here, do you only do it as a back leg kick, then? It is a powerful kick that way, for sure, but I always find it is just so much slower and more cumbersome to get around to execute. That could just be that I'm slow, too.

No not at all. It is fired off the front just as easily (perhaps more-so) as the back leg.

My best attempt at a written analogy would be - think Kokutsu Dachi, bringing the front leg into a Tsuru-Ashi-Dashi, then turning and extending the leg straight through into the kick. Sanshou fighters display good examples of this in practice.

I agree though - and am in the same boat. If i fire the side kick off my back leg like this, I'll rarely ever land it.... The power is there, but it is well telegraphed, so ends up becoming more of a "push" kick.

Osu